In: Anatomy and Physiology
If a tuning fork were applied to a person's forearm, they would perceive the vibration. Describe the response to the tuning fork by a "rapidly adapting" mechanoreceptor located in the forearm.
Response to tuning fork by rapidly adapting mechanoreceptor :
Rapidly adapting mechanoreceptor is the most sensitive mechanoreceptor and responds to high frequency vibratiory stimuli.
Among the rapidly adapting mechanoreceptor panician corpuscle is the one that responds to vibrations and changes in pressure.
Panician corpuscle is the vibration sensitive receptor and each corpuscle innervates only one axon. They detect changes in pressure on yhe skin and transduce it to electrical energy.
When stimulus is applied to the skin (vibration by turning fork) a slight deformitation of any mechanoreceptor nerve cell ending results in electrical changes called receptor potential ,on the outer surface this in turn induces impulses in the nerve fibre.
MECHANISM OF ACTION :
The neuron at the center of panician corpuscle has special sodium ion channel to allow the sodium ions into neuron.
When pressure is applied the panician corpuscle changes its shape and there is inflow of sodium ions into neuron resulting in depolarization and generator potential.
This in turn induces action potential which reaches CNS by passing through neurons and appropriate response is coordinated from there.